Yesterday I decided to B off to London, or miss the Picasso exhibition at the National. This is the slow train I did not get on, partly because I had some unauthenticated theory that the fast train would overtake it.

Partly because it was a short train already full of grey haired women.

In spite of the undeniable fact that I was also making use of the senior citizen cheap day return I did not want to emphasise the fact.

I rarely make use of concessions at the flics etc. why should i when it only saves a paltry quid or whatever, but i live in trepidation that some day some uncouth youth will assume I am entitled and dish one out, unrequested. Some people are proud of their age, it is indeed an achievement of sorts, but I'm not yet ready to take up the mantle.

The National Gallery happily charged me full price, but punished my ?vanity by making 4 of us wait until the exact second of the timed ticket had begun. So "jobs worth" If I were younger i might have started a discussion as to whether the previous allocation was totally taken up, [which obviously being the penultimate week it wasn't - I could see the spaces! however I merely slouched like a teenager and then scowled at the attendant as we were eventually enabled to pass into the inner sanctum.

Actually my lower back is not good with shopping and exhibitions these days, maybe i should take crutches and go for the sympathy vote, but i fear it would not help as a woman in a wheel chair was also barred till the correct tick of the tock.

It would be good to have one of the chariots that the elderly whizz round town with, can't wait, but then again, probably can.

The exhibition was very exciting. His canvases were curated to show how P would work with paintings like Velasquez, Caravaggio, Matisse to develop his own versions of their work, as an homage and because he was so darn prolific i suppose. ideas just poured out of him.

I was so stimulated by some monumental canvases of Reclining Nudes that I have not seen before. they are largely monochrome, the size of a wall, and FILLED frame to frame with the figure . Amazing.

I was busting to buy some reproductions to take home, but I should have known that as usual the piece that delights one in an exhibition will totally ignored by the postcard/poster makers.

What i should have done was gone back in and do some sketching, but would the steely faced woman bend her uniform and let me back in. Doubtful.

Exit muttering.

This is the plinth in Trafalgar square where each day selected people will stand as an Anthony Gormley inspired " live statue", next month I think.

I suspect there will be protective plastic, and not just from the rain.

new and old

This is the first piece of work I did from the archived fabric. I just did a silk painting of some of the roses in the original sample and added some Gaiety Gals.It was meant as a try out, but time passed and I decided with a bit of stitching it would do, which it did, but it didn't win a prize, so serves me right.

Given that it failed I am a bit concerned about my development piece, there is always the possibility that the curator doesn't have a sense of humour, or thinks i have had a taste/skill bypass. The works that won were far more traditional embroidery and carefully done. We shall see.

Today i have been fiddling with the dreaded Arches of previous renown. I found a previous bit of blues dyed silk that will do for the sky but am still stumped for the landscape between the arches, I may even have to actually stitch something from scratch.

Sadly my enthusiasm has waned and I only have 4 weeks to produce. I have now added some dark blue silk rushes which I think add a something to the mix, maybe tomorrow will be more creative.

I used to work with A, she said that I had to learn that some days things would not work out. I had to recognise that and relax and see what tomorrow would bring. She is a very organised and productive woman so i try to take her advice, when I remember it.

I would like to do something with young Ida, but am being harassed by peeps i promised to immortalise in silks, last year they claim.......hmm.